Effect of serratiopeptidase supplementation on gut health and intestinal microflora in commercial broiler chicken

Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary serratiopeptidase supplementation on intestinal microbial load and gut morphology in commercial broiler chicken. A total of 240 day-old broiler chicks were randomly allotted to six dietary treatments: control (T1), antibiotic-supplemented (T2), and serratiopeptidase-supplemented diets at 10, 20, 30, and 40 mg/kg feed (T3 to T6). Birds were reared upto 35 days and one male and one female from each replicate is selected for slaughter studies. The selected birds were humanely slaughtered and intestinal microbial load and morphology of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were assessed. Serratiopeptidase supplementation significantly (P<0.01) lowered total bacterial count and Escherichia coli count compared with the control. The most pronounced reductions were noted in T3 (10 mg/kg) and T5 (30 mg/kg), which were more effective than the antibiotic group. Villus height and villus height to crypt depth ratio were also improved in serratiopeptidase supplemented birds, particularly in T4 (20 mg/kg) and T5 (30 mg/kg), indicating enhanced absorptive surface area. These results demonstrate that serratiopeptidase positively modulates gut microflora and improves intestinal morphology, suggesting its potential as a natural alternative to conventional antibiotics for supporting gut health and productivity in broilers.